City Guide Review: Chef Yun’s Meat House (Gumi)
Review by Kristen O’Brien, ETA 2014-2015 City: Gumi (구미) Restaurant Name: Chef Yun’s Meat House (윤쉐프의 고기집) Food Served: Korean BBQ Restaraunt Address: 경북 구미시 신시로14길 10 View Map Directions: In Gumi the only public transportation available is by car, taxi, or public bus. If you take a public bus, get off at the bus stop “차병원앞정류장 하차.” The restaurant is a two minute walk from there. Cost: Dishes range from 4,000~18,000 won Chef Yun’s Meat House is a cheap and inexpensive Korean BBQ restaurant located in Gumi. The meat is very cheap, and the presentation of the meals is beautiful. The restaurant is clean and has very simple decor, with a variety of round and square tables. I usually order ohgyupsal (similar to samgyupsal, but with 5 layers instead of 3). It comes with plenty of side dishes, and my favorite is their salad. It has a fruity sauce, and tastes super fresh. The restaurant also serves various soups (which is usually eaten after BBQ). The meat is fairly priced and this restaurant is really popular with Gumi natives. Whenever my co-teachers and I are craving Korean BBQ, we go here. The BBQ here is delicious! A must try!
City Guide Review: Coffee Namoo (Busan)
Review by Ivan Liang, ETA 2014-2015 City: Busan (부산) Restaurant Name: Coffee Namoo (커피 나무) Food Served: Coffee, drinks and sweets Restaraunt Address: 부산광역시 사하구 낙동남로 1406-1 View Map Directions: Come out of Hadan Station Exit 4. To your right should be the Gangseo Mart 강서마트 on the corner of the street. Take a left and go down that street, away from the big main street. To your left should be Namoo Coffee. Cost: About 4000₩ for a drink and 5000₩ for dessert A small, quaint coffee shop that is squeezed into a hole in the wall right off the busy main avenue of Hadan, one of Busan’s transportation hubs that connects it with the surrounding towns, villages, and a massive Samsung facility. The place is quite small and only has seating for 4, with a small bar seating 3 more almost impossibly located right next to the entrance. But it has a charm that many of Korea’s bigger coffee chains don’t really have. The counter top is rough paneled wood that has seen many open days and the tables are nestled right up against bookshelves crowded with well worn pages. Actual books! Some are even in English! The coffee is lovingly made slowly and with care, the baristas operating their chrome Victoria Arduino espresso machine or grinding your coffee by hand before making your coffee to order. With a small sitting area and most people coming to get their coffee to go before the morning rush hour or to sustain a long work day, you can easily come here and be alone with your work, studies, or thoughts. It can also make an intimate, off the beaten path dating spot that’s not a Starbucks or Angel-in-Us.
City Guide Review: Sinae Sikdang (Gwangyang-eup)
Photos and Review by Hillary Veitch, ETA 2014-2015 City: Gwangyang-eup (광양읍) Restaurant Name: Sinae Sikdang (시내 식당) Food Served: Bulgogi, Kimchi Jigae, Naengmyeon Restaraunt Address: 38 Seocheon 1-gil, Gwangyang-eup (964-1 Chilseong-ri) 전라남도 광양시 광양읍 서천1길 38 (광양읍)’ View Map Directions: Walk along Gwangyang Bulgogi Street in downtown Gwangyang-eup. There will be a large sign that says “시내 식당” Cost: ₩15,000 – ₩50,000 Gwangyang is known for its bulgogi, thus dedicating an entire street of restaurants to serve this grilled, sweet, marinated beef. This restaurant has been open since 1955, and has several floors with an indoor playground for children. It was quite busy on a Saturday evening. We were directed to the second floor, and while we climbed up the stairs, we admired a couple of African-looking art work. The big dining room has a Western-feel, but only offered Korean-style seating. Gwangyang bulgogi (광양불고기) is famous because it is grilled with charcoal and not “pan fried.” The meat was tender and had a slight sweet taste of the marinade. If you are still hungry after all the meat, you can complete your meal by ordering rice with kimchi Jigae (kimchi stew) at 1,000 KRW or noodles. I ordered the cold noodles (4,000 KRW), while my co-worker ordered the rice. Both were very tasty, but I especially liked their kimchi jigae. We were not able to finish this entirely, but it was good to have some starch after so much meat. Finally, we were served a sweet persimmon drink to finish off our meal. I would love to eat this more often, but I will try a different restaurant. Sinae Sikdang 시내식당 is more for those who would like to eat this traditional dish with Westernized side dishes. I will give their neighbors a try next time.